4th year EM rotations

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blotto geltaco

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Hello,

I am a third year medical student intent on applying for EMED. I am in the works to set up 2 EM electives ("auditions"), in addition to the usual core rotation. I also have another elective spot to use up, and am wondering if I should set up another EMED as well, or is this overkill. I know 4th year is the only time to pick and choose stuff you are interested in and may never have the chance to do again, but I am interested in EMED. Should I do as many EMED "auditions" as possible?

TIA

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2 is fine if they are really places you would like to end up. Do you come from a place with a strong EM residency? If that is the case you really don't have to do any aways as you will get (hopefully) people that people know to write you letters.
You may have friends in Derm or Optho doing 4 away rotations and that simply is not necessary in EM. And you will be doing a lot of duplication (as you alluded to).
I did zero away rotations and have plenty of interviews, several of which are at very competitive programs. (That being said I go to a school that has a pretty prestigious EM residency)
 
Originally posted by blotto geltaco
Hello,

I am a third year medical student intent on applying for EMED. I am in the works to set up 2 EM electives ("auditions"), in addition to the usual core rotation. I also have another elective spot to use up, and am wondering if I should set up another EMED as well, or is this overkill. I know 4th year is the only time to pick and choose stuff you are interested in and may never have the chance to do again, but I am interested in EMED. Should I do as many EMED "auditions" as possible?

TIA

Personally, I think it's overkill. EM is a broad specialty - use your elective time to expand and diversify your clinical skills, not start your residency early.
 
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I think you're good with 2 EM auditions as well as a core. That's exactly what I did. I did my core in January of my third year, and two electives, one in August, and the other in November. I thought they were greatly planned (pat myself on the back), as I got a letter in January and a letter in August... and by that time I knew what the heck I was doing in November.

Now, rounding the home stretch to graduation, I really wouldn't want to do another month of EM. I want to just do rotations I've always wanted to do (Anesthesia, Radiology)... and I'm doing another rotation of Psych just because there's a lot of substance abuse in EM (and a lot of bull$hit to sift through) so I thought that would be helpful. Not to mention its a laid back rotation.

Like Burton said, don't start your residency now. That's what those 3 or 4 yrs are for.
 
Ditto...

Over my 3rd and 4th years I did 2 months of Ortho-surg and I highly suggest either doing a month orthopedics or of sports medicine if you can swing it.
Coming from a physical therapy background, I have noted most residents are terribly deficient on handling/evaluating the most common things in many ED's, sprains/strains/fractures/malingering. It is obviously more pathetic with the midlevels.
It is certainly a good way to shine, when you can cast/splint your own patients.
 
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